Friday, August 19, 2011

According to Perry Texas teaches creationism and evolution…oops! There’s a problem with that

Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s comments to a child in New Hampshire that creationism and evolution are taught in public schools is the latest example of the “foot-in-the-mouth” disease he contends with.

On one hand, if both creationism and evolution are part of the study plan in Texas schools, that would almost certainly be unconstitutional. On the other, Perry is referring to how the school system took an end run around the constitution.

Here’s the facts:

“Clay Robison, a spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association, the state’s teachers’ union, says, “It is not part of the recognized official state curriculum.”

“Suzanne Marchman, a spokeswoman for the Texas Education Agency, the state’s version of the Department of Education, told NBC, the state’s science standards for high-school biology “require students to analyze, evaluate, and critique, scientific explanations.”

Sounds reasonable on the surface…

“And since teachers craft their own lesson plans, “It’s likely that other theories, likely creationism, are being discussed in class" -- whether it's because teachers plan lessons around it, or because students bring it up.”

There it is. Creationism and evolution is being taught but the dodge is, the state is not telling schools to stop it. It’s being done on a local level according to:

“Marchman who also explained that there is an elective course on Biblical history. “And so certainly, a teacher could include discussion of creationism in a Bible class,” she said, adding, “The curriculum doesn’t require them to teach [creationism and evolution] side-by-side, but because teachers craft their lesson plan at the local level, it’s a local decision. So the state doesn’t offer up the specifics of what’s required to be taught.”

The lesson is obvious here. When Perry opens his mouth half-truths are sure to follow. Even for God’s anointed!